New Delhi, Aug. 29 -- Rima and Seema want to create a sizeable corpus over the next 15 years, and both can set aside Rs.10,000 every month for their goal. But they choose different ways to invest - Rima chooses the Public Provident Fund (PPF), Seema opts for an equity mutual fund through SIP. But who ends up with more money?

While making any investment, how much money you end up with depends on two main factors: the return generated and the current interest rate. For an equity mutual fund, the return is not fixed, plus the investor has to pay an LTCG. Meanwhile, PPF currently offers an interest rate of 7.1%. The interest earned is exempt from income tax. Here's a look at how both options work:

If Rima invests Rs.10,000 every month, then...